FARM IN SCOTLAND

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23381, 24 June 1939, Page 15

FARM IN SCOTLAND

GIFT TO LABOUR MEMBER PEERESS* OFFER ACCEPTED LONDON. June 20 As the outcome of remarks in the House of Commons, Lady Astor, Conservative M.P., offered, y and Mr. Kirkwood, Labour M.P., accepted, a 60-acre farm, on the island of Jura, Scotland. ]\lr. Kirkwood, a Scottish member, liad asked whether the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Sir John Simon, was aware that one-sixth of Scotland was given in returns as deer forest and that 100,000 acres had been withdrawn from cultivation since 1920. He suggested a tax on deer forests in order to enforce cultivation.

Sir John declined the tax suggestion, stating that deer forest areaii were 8000 acres less in 1938 than in .L 920. Lady Astor: We will give Mr. Kirkwood a farm in a deer forest if he will promise to make a living on it. Mr. Davidson (Labour): Who is "we"?

•Lady Astor: Me. Mr. Kirkwood said lie aceopted, on condition that lie would not have to cultivate the land personally. Lady Astor agreed to allow him to employ a manager on the farm, which is understood to be barren land.; Lady Astor is the American-born wife of Lord Astor, himself of American descent. She was the first woman M.P. in Britain, and has sat continuously for a Plymouth constituency for 20 years. Their English country home is Cliveden, overlooking the Thames in Buckinghamshire.